Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1887-08-23
A COSTA RlCAN COUP D'ETAT.
How "a Political Difficulty Was Solved.
An Easily Effected Change.

| How a Political Difficulty Was Solved
An Easily Effected Change.
DR.. Jesus Jimenez may have been learned
man: he was not a wise one. He Lad beer
made president of Costa Rica by the army
and as soon as he got supreme power in tht
republic, he gave that important body The
| cold shoulder Il was mistake. He should
have borne it to the front, giving it prom
inence; wearing it, so to speak, like a rost
in his top buttonhole on dress occasions. Or
| the contrary, he treated it contemptuously
sneered at its pettiness and fiummery, and
| DEGRADED its officers. What can a single
doctor of medicine do against one entire
regiment of infantry and two gun battery
of flying artillery Nothing, absolutely
nothing His brass mortar and pellets are
but trifles against howtzer and bullets
| But the army was also in an awkward fix
For the army, as l said, had made DR.. Jime-
nez president by a coup d'etat A second
coup following so soon on the steps of the
| former would never answer. The army
would lose its prestige. Still, something must
be done, for the most popular officers and
their friends in civil life were being banished
in crowds from the republic.
The difficulty was solved by Col Thomas
the one regiment of infantry. 1t was only
necessary, therefore, to get possession of the
artillery. So one morning the great gates Of
the barracks were opened, and two wagon
loads of freshly cut grass passed in as usual.
and the gates were closed Whereupon, there
suddenly upruse the two loads of grass; and
fourteen men, led by Don Thomas Guardia,
pointed fourteen revolvers at the few half
awake soldiers in the patio, and the job was
done, killing only one foolish officer, who at
tempted resistance to 'the revolution of the
people" A lieutenant with a few men waited
on Dr. Jimenez and told him that he could re
sumo the practice Of medicine, as the public
would not require his services any more at the
"palace."
Nothing could have been more satisfactory
to Dr. Jimenez. He really didn't want power
and only accepted it because he couldn't see
his way out of it. At 9 o'clock be mounted
his saddle mule with his alfarjas, and went
around among his PATIENTS; quietly said to his
friends that he was informed that Thomas
Guardia was in possession of the supreme
government, and that he would be able to
give his business better attention than he had
during the past few months. Before he re-
turned to his house for breakfast he called at
the palace, smiled and nodded toward the
guard and sent his card up to the new presi-
dent.
You will naturally suppose that Don
Thomas, on hearing of this sudden appearance
of the dethroned ruler in the place where he
had reigned but yesterday, summoned his
guard, buckled on his sword, capped several
revolvers, ordered squad of detectives to
usher him in and watch his every motion He
did nothing of the kind for two reasons:
There never lived one man of whom ThorAas
Guardia was afraid, and of all men in the
world DR.. Jesus Jimenez was the last man
for anybody to be afraid of. Therefore, when
they met, the inquiring, somewhat serious
look of Don Thomas disappeared before the
cordial, pleased smile Of DR.. Jimenez; they
embraced with the fervor Of old friends
Alfred f. Sears in Overland Monthly.
There are about forty persons present at
$50 o'clock, and diners drop in and out until
after s. At the further end of the room are
a couple of family parties, the ladies without
their bonnets and with their children. These
are evidently residents or dodgers at the hotel.
Four other tables are occupied by young fell
lows who think it great thing to dine at the
Brunswick, are impressed by the elegant sur
roundings and overawed by the portly French
walters. You notice at several tables the
same sort of couples-an elderly gentleman
and very young lady. These are fathers,
or uncles, or guardians, perhaps, who know
too much of the world TO waste an expensive
dinner upon a lady and yet like to take their
wards to first rate place The rest of the
company are easily assorted into parties who
are going to the theatre and parties who have
arrived from the races
Before the first dishes are served a boy
passes around the room and offers basket of
boutonnieres to every diner. There are sweet
plnks for the gentlemen and white rosebuds
for the ladies. To those who hesitate to help
themselves the head waiter politely explains
that there is nothing to pay; the flowers are
a little compliment to the guests This head
waiter is a character He is supposed to
know everybody. As he hands you the bill
of fare you ask him:
us there anybody here to-day, Gustava'
He is picture as he looks shrewdly from
table to table. signs gently, as if the whole
company had been weighed in the balance
and found wanting, and solemnly replies:
Nobody, sir"
He means nobody worth mentioning-no-
body whom he ought TO know-and equally,
of course, his diplomatic smile and glance as
sure you that you are excepted from this
sweeping condemnation-Steph Fiske in
New York World